


Kids These Days

by trajektoria



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Age Difference, Age Regression/De-Aging, Angst with a Happy Ending, Comedy, Fluff, M/M, Reyes needs a hug and lots of whiskey, Scott is cute and precious, but nothing creepy don't worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-08-25 10:51:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16659727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trajektoria/pseuds/trajektoria
Summary: Reyes Vidal is a hard man to surprise. He has seen it all. Well, almost. Nothing could have prepared him for finding his lover de-aged as a result of a rem-tech accident. How is he going to cope in a new reality where Scott Ryder is two years old?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to [vodka-infused-unicorn](https://vodka-infused-unicorn.tumblr.com/) for beta-ing!
> 
> The fic is finished and will be updated regularly. Scott's... I mean, Scout's honor.

No matter how much he tried Reyes simply couldn’t concentrate. For the umpteenth time in the last three hours he checked his omni-tool for new messages. He chastised himself for being silly but tapped the buttons anyway. There were no new calls and the inbox remained stubbornly empty.

Reyes sighed and raked his hand through his hair, leaning back on the couch in his hideout on the second floor of the Tartarus. He refused to give in to dark thoughts but he couldn’t ignore the worry twisting in his gut.

New remnant ruins had been discovered near Kurinth’s Valley and Scott with his team were supposed to sweep through them for anything that might be useful, primarily the technology. No big deal for the Pathfinder. The task that should have been completed hours ago. And yet there still was no message, even though Scott had promised to let him know as soon as they were done. Maybe he was simply too tired and he had forgotten? Lack of news didn’t necessary mean that something awful had befallen him.

Reyes groaned. He hoped that with the vault fixed all that remnant nonsense was a thing of the past. No more lost scavengers, broken equipment, destroyed cargo. Unfortunately, he was wrong. The planet turned out to be littered with the remnant debris. And whatever lurked inside them, all the Destroyers and an ensemble cast of monstrosities, Scott would tackle any dangers head on. Of course, Scott was more than prepared to kick some mechanical ass, and he didn’t venture into the ruins alone but…

But.

Reyes sighed. He was on the verge of pocketing his pride and writing the damn message himself, lacing it generously with passive-aggressive undertones.

_Hello, Ryder. I hope you’re enjoying yourself. Please do me a favor and remember about me from time to time, will you? I would appreciate the information that you’re still breathing._

When did he turn into such an overprotective mother hen? If Keema could see him right now she’d have a field day.

Fuck.

Something was wrong. Call it instinct or paranoia but the thought wouldn’t leave him alone. All this tension was driving him insane. His nerves wouldn’t allow him to sit, so he paced from one wall to the other, thinking about the best course of action. Maybe he really should contact Scott, even if it meant exposing himself to ridicule, put his mind at ease.

He jumped up, startled, when his omni-tool began to vibrate, indicating a new call.

“Scott,” Reyes gasped in relief, seeing the name displayed on the screen. He actually had to sit down or risk toppling to the ground as his knees turned to jelly. This man truly would be the death of him.

Back on the couch, he pressed the button to accept the call.

“Ah, Ryder,” he said in his most casual tone, although some scolding notes slipped into the greetings anyway. “I am aware that you have the memory of a goldfish, but I feel like you owe me a drink for all the emotional damage you caused me by such blatant neglect.”

He expected Scott to laugh and say something snarky like ‘you never pay for your drinks anyway’ or ‘you have emotions? That’s a first’. But the reply that came was of a different sort altogether. And not delivered by his lover.

“Um… Reyes?”

His heart plummeted to the floor, incapacitated with dread. He knew that voice.

“Vetra?” He forced himself to keep his cool. “Why are you calling me from Scott’s omni-tool?”

There had to be a logical explanation for this. The explanation that didn’t involve the Pathfinder being hurt or… or seriously hurt. But with every second of silence his apprehension only multiplied.

“Well… We have a situation here.”

“What kind of situation?” he asked, his mouth drier than dunes of Elaaden. “Is Scott okay?”

“Yeah, he’s fine. I think.”

“You think?” Reyes snapped. He was nearing his limits. “Cut the bullshit and tell me what happened.”

There was another bout of silence. In the background Reyes heard various voices arguing heatedly about something but he couldn’t make out the words. He could swear that someone was crying too. 

The turian sighed, a deep and deliberate sound.

“I can’t tell you through an omni-tool.”

“It’s a secure channel,” Reyes insisted. Vetra hesitated for a second but wasn’t swayed in the end.

“It’s better if you come to the Tempest anyway. Scott wants to see you.”

Reyes opened his mouth to shower her with questions but Vetra severed the connection.  

Reyes stared at his omni-tool, trying to gather his thoughts. His worries had not been assuaged. On the contrary, he was dangerously close to being overwhelmed with panic. What the hell happened? Why was Vetra so cryptic?

No, he couldn’t lose his head. Scott needed him, that much was clear. That was enough for him to shake off his stupor and jump to action.

Spring in his step, Reyes walked through the Tartarus, not stopping to acknowledge anyone in his way. He went straight to the elevator at the edge of the slum, the temptation to run almost too hard to resist. But he had a reputation to maintain and compromising it could sabotage too many of his plans in the long run. Composure, neutral expression, attentive but not alert stance. Still, the long ascent felt like a torture, the slowest climb of his life.

The walk through the port was a swift one, Reyes could barely recall the faces he passed along the way. Colt Dalton called after him but Reyes just waved his hand, a signal that it had to wait. He would deal with everything later. Right now, nothing in the whole cluster was more important to him than Scott Ryder. Although, if he wanted to be perfectly honest with himself, rarely there was anything more important than the Pathfinder with big blue eyes.

The Tempest docked in the same spot it usually occupied. A VIP location, courtesy of the Charlatan. The ship was open, the gangway lowered. Vetra stood right by it, trying to look nonchalant and failing miserably. Her eyes scanned the crowd and when she spotted him, there was no relief on her face. If anything, she tensed even more.

“Good. You’re here,” she said and not wasting any time simply turned on her heel and moved towards the insides of the ship, trusting that Reyes would follow. He did, naturally. “Scott will be happy to see you. He’s been calling for you.”

“Vetra, what happened?” he asked as they moved through the hangar, uncharacteristically empty. Even the mechanic, a constant fixture around the Nomad, was nowhere to be seen.

“See for yourself. You won’t believe me if I tell you.”

Now that didn’t sound ominous, not at all.

They entered the main corridor. Vetra turned towards the crew quarters. Reyes followed but even without her guidance he’d figure out where to head next. It was sufficient to go after the noise. A choir of raised voices formed an incomprehensible cacophony, accompanied by crying. That was the sound that worried Reyes the most.

Vetra leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed on her chest. Reyes pushed past her, and entered the room.

As he stepped inside, the arguments ceased. The Tempest crew, all the pairs of eyes, stared at him.

Everyone had gathered around one of the bunks. A human boy, about two years old, sat there only in a pink T-shirt — that clearly belonged to an adult woman — reaching to his ankles, the very picture of misery. The kid wailed his eyes out, hands pressed to his face, wiping at the tears and snot.

The sudden silence caught the boy’s attention. He stopped crying and peeked from behind his sticky fingers. He looked directly at Reyes and made a pained noise in the back of his throat.

“Leyes!” the boy shrieked, the bare feet hitting the ground. His sobbing intensifying three times, the little one ran at full speed towards Reyes and hugged his leg with a vise-like grip. He looked up, his big blue eyes, reddened from crying, aimed straight at his.

Reyes would recognize these eyes everywhere.

“Scott…?” He said numbly, unable to do anything more than just gawk. His mind blanked, froze, unable to process what was in front of him. There was only one thing he could say, addressing the whole assembly. “What the fuck?”


	2. Chapter 2

His question rang out in the hushed room like a gunshot, louder than the child’s sobbing. That seemed to have broken the spell. As on cue, everybody started speaking at the same time, the tornado of agitated voices filling up the confined space. The chaos reached uncomfortably high levels. Reyes felt as if he had been thrown right in the middle of a hive of pissed off hornets. He was about to yell and tell all of them to shut up but the krogan beat him to it.

“HEY,” he boomed, his deep voice carrying across half of the planet. But the desired effect had been achieved. Everybody stopped, even the child ceased crying for a second, frightened, only to recommence the wailing in a more intense manner. But at least the crew said nothing more, stunned into obedience. “Okay, you talk.” Drack said, pointing to Lexi. “You at least kind of know what’s going on.”

The asari sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. She looked as if she hadn’t slept for a month. In other circumstances Reyes might have had some sympathy to spare. As it was now, he just wanted answers.

“The fact is we really don’t know what happened. What _exactly_ happened, that is,” she admitted, her long fingers tapping nervously against her thigh. She fell silent, choosing the next words carefully.

“Scott stepped into some kind of timey-wimey trap in the remnant ruins and then POOF!” Peebee chimed in. She giggled but it was more of a sign how nervous she was and not an indication that she found the situation even remotely amusing. “One second we have a hunky Pathfinder strutting around, the next there’s a weeping toddler crawling out of the N7 chest piece. Suvi sacrificed her T-shirt so at least Scott isn’t running around butt naked because his clothes don’t fit anymore, obviously.”

“I’ve run all the tests I could think of,” Lexi glared at Peebee for interrupting, “and they didn’t tell me anything conclusive. Well, anything aside from the fact that somehow our Pathfinder is a healthy two-year-old boy now.”

Reyes’ gaze dropped to the child hugging his leg, the big blue eyes overflowing with tears. Reyes realized that medical tests translated to needles, scans, swabs and all kinds of poking and probing. An unpleasant experience even for an adult. So many times he’d heard Scott bitch about medical checkups, which he tried to avoid like a plague. But the same ordeal for someone so young, it must have been even worse. Pain, fear, confusion… poor kid.

Poor Scott. His Scott.

Reyes wasn’t sure what he felt but he felt it acutely.

Unable to just stand by and watch any more, Reyes leaned forward and picked the boy up, holding him against his chest. At once, Scott wrapped his legs around Reyes’ waist and the arms around his neck. Like a tiny octopus, barely weighing anything.

“Leyes…” Scott hiccupped pitifully into his ear. The sound almost shattered Reyes’ heart.

“It’s okay, _cari_ _ñ_ _o_ ,” he said softly, rubbing the child’s back in a soothing gesture. “I’m here. Everything will be okay. I promise.”

Children were an unsolved mystery to Reyes. Always busy with surviving, he didn’t have many opportunities to be around them, let alone to watch over or even interact with them. He couldn’t put babysitting in his resume, that was for sure. And yet somehow he knew what to do. Maybe because that child was Scott and he knew Scott like no one else did.

“Sh… It’s okay.” Reyes repeated and hummed a melody he remembered from his childhood. A lullaby, sweet nothing, a warm tune to mollify and chase the nightmares away, making the sleep come easier. Scott didn’t fall asleep but he calmed down, a tiny sniff from time to time the only indicator of his past hysteria. Good.

Reyes sighed inwardly in relief. Now that the crisis had been temporarily contained, he moved his gaze from Scott to the group in front of him. Each member of the Pathfinder’s team looked more uncomfortable than the other. Well, too bad. Reyes wasn’t particularly interested in their comfort. Not when so much was at stake.

“So, what now?” he asked, an edge to his voice. “What are you going to do to bring him back to normal?”

The group turned to the asari doctor. She seemed to be the authority here on all matters biological.

“I’m still running tests,” she said, frustration at the lack of progress clear in her voice. “And I reached out to a few scientists on the Nexus, asking for their expertise. Discreetly, of course.”

“As far as I know, the angaran resistance has never encountered anything like this,” Jaal spoke up. “But I reached out to Evfra and Moshae anyway, maybe they heard about a similar… incident in the past.”

It wasn’t much, but it was something. They had to act and had to act fast. The faster, the better.

“I’ll contact my sources,” Reyes said, already going through the list of possible informants in his head. They were frighteningly effective when the payment was enticing enough. And in this case Reyes would spare no expense.  

“You need to be careful.” Liam’s remark brought him back to reality. “No one must know that the Pathfinder is a kid now.”

Reyes narrowed his eyes. He was very tempted to offer a snide comeback that, contrary to the beliefs of some in the present company, he wasn’t an idiot. With utmost difficulty, he managed to bite his tongue in time. Petty squabbles wouldn’t help Scott in any capacity.

“I know. No one will know what this is really about.”

Lexi nodded, apparently satisfied.

“Good, so—”

“Okay, but what do we do in the meantime?” Peebee cut her off, voicing the concern of probably every person in the room. “I mean Scott can’t exactly go out there and pathfind, right?”

Lexi rubbed her temple. This whole situation would give her the biggest headache ever.

“We keep him here, on the Tempest. And pray that we’ll find a way to bring him back to his old self soon.”

Reyes scowled. In his personal experience praying didn’t amount to much. He preferred a more… hands on approach. What could he do now?

Scott must have sensed his inner turmoil and the tension he felt.

“Leyes?” The boy pulled back just enough to look at him. The tears have dried on his face but his eyes were still red and filled with fear. “Stay? Leyes stay?”

How could he possibly refuse? After all, it wasn’t as if he needed to approach any of his contacts in person. His omni-tool worked just fine from the Tempest.

“Sure, Scott. I’ll stay with you.”

His words were met with a wide smile spreading over the boy’s face. Reyes could see the older Scott in that smile, the same little dimples, the same curve of lips. He felt a pang of hurt in his chest.

What if it would be impossible to bring Scott back to his twenty-three-year-old state? Reyes swallowed. He didn’t want to think about it.

“Go with him to the Pathfinder’s Quarters for now and wait there,” Lexi said, standing up. Apparently, the meeting was over. All the other members of the crew moved to leave as well. “We’ll let you know if there’s any development.”

Reyes nodded. Seemed like the most sensible solution to keep Scott contained and safe.  

“Let’s go, Scotty. We’ll wait in your room, okay?” he said, looking at the boy in his arms who smiled again. Reyes wasn’t convinced if Scott understood him, if he understood much of what was going on, but he’d much prefer to see the boy smiling instead of covered in tears and snot.

With a last glance at the doctor, Reyes turned around and walked down the corridor towards the Pathfinder’s Quarters. He’d been here so many times before, experiencing a whole spectrum of emotions — elation, anxiety, desire, anger, sympathy, love. Never anything like this, though, never this helpless brand of uncertainty. He was used to dealing with problems, he fancied himself quite skilled at putting out fires and thriving among the debris, not losing his head when others panicked and spouted prophecies of doom. But now? How could you deal with a problem so out of this world, so out of his experience? So… unnatural. What other secrets Andromeda had in store for them?

The door to the Pathfinder’s Quarters swished open. Without hesitation, Reyes stepped into Scott’s kingdom. Somehow he expected things to be different. He wasn’t sure how different — Hell, a cradle? Stuffed toys? A potty? — but the room obviously remained unchanged. The same mess everywhere, with scattered clothes and empty food containers abandoned absentmindedly on the floor. Reyes recognized some of them, being guilty of smuggling snacks on the Tempest. How happy Scott was when he had brought him some brownies! Stuffing his face immediately, Scott had mumbled his appreciation with a mouthful of half-chewed cookies.

The memories left a bittersweet taste on Reyes’ tongue. Swallowing the feeling, he paced to the couch. He sat down, putting the boy right next to him. Scotty, still in Suvi’s pink shirt that looked on him more like a dress, swung his legs without a care in the world. Always so full of energy that one, already fidgeting after two seconds of sitting down calmly.

_Scott_ …

Reyes looked towards the desk where SAM’s docking station was located. For the first time it was empty and silent. No constant gentle buzzing, no floating blue orb. What happened to the AI now that Scott had been thrown back in time?

“SAM?”

No reply. Just Scotty fluffing up his own hair for the heck of it.

Reyes didn’t know what to think. He didn’t know what to feel either, and that was worse. Usually, he could control his emotions just fine but not when it came to Scott. Scott was… important to him. Dear. And now? Who was this kid to him, really?  

“Hey, Scott…” he said, leaning closer to the boy. Their eyes met and Reyes looked deeply into Scott’s blue ones. “You’re still in there?”

The boy blinked. Giggled. Pressed his finger to Reyes’ nose and announced with the gravity appropriate to the situation, “Boop.”

Reyes smiled but it felt hollow. For a moment his heart seemed to stop only to resume its drumming beat of despair.

“Boop right back at you,” he said, repaying tiny Scott in kind. The boy giggled stupidly in delight. At least one person was enjoying their current predicament.

Looking at this child felt so surreal. Reyes wouldn’t be surprised if he woke up right now in his quiet apartment, tangled in sweat-soaked sheets, marveling at the oddity of nightmares. That would be a relief. He wasn’t ready to accept this as his new reality. The reality of Scott being a child.

What… what if the process truly couldn’t be reversed? What if Scott just stayed this way? Chaos on the Nexus aside, what it would mean to Reyes personally? What would he do? No chance in hell that anyone would let him adopt the boy. He wasn’t sure if he even wanted to. Scott’s sister would most likely get the custody as the closest living relative, which would be for the best. Scott wasn’t Reyes’ son, ward or whatever. Scott was his partner, his lover, his friend, the best thing that had ever happened to him. And he wanted him back, he wanted _that_ Scott back. Watching him grow up, helping to raise him… no, that would be wrong. Creepy? Predatory? Just w _rong_.

_Scott, please come back to me. I need you. The older you._

 A shriek pulled Reyes out of his gloomy reverie. Scotty’s jaw hung open, his tiny body vibrating with excitement. He cooed in awe and stared at something on the other side of the room. Reyes followed his gaze.

A pyjak. Scott’s pet, the space anteater-monkey thing Reyes considered beyond ugly, crawled out of a ventilation shaft and sat down near the closet, cleaning its fur with its foot-long tongue. Scott loved the damn pest no matter how many items it knocked over or how many times it pissed on the floor in the middle of the ship. It seemed that nothing had changed in that regard despite the age shift.

The little boy slid down from the couch and with a joyous laughter charged at the animal, accompanied by the pitter-patter of bare feet. The pyjak froze for a second only to flee in panic, jumping around the room to put some distance between itself and the overeager toddler. Scotty wasn’t discouraged. Treating it as good fun, he chased after the pet, giggling and reaching out to it with his scrawny arms.

“Hug! Hug!” he screamed, making his intent clear. The pyjak didn’t want to cooperate, running away twice as fast, as if his tail was on fire. Scotty, untiring like every child his age, pursued it, skidding on the floor, nearly tripping over his own legs but still having the time of his life.

Despite himself, Reyes smiled. Often when he called the Tempest, the pyjak was resting around Scott’s neck, a living and stinking scarf, being tickled, stroked and spoiled with snacks. Scott had a big heart and a propensity to cuddle with the people and things he loved.

Reyes wanted that Scott back.

Taking advantage of the fact that the kid was busy screeching his lungs out, Reyes fired up his omni-tool. Time for the Charlatan to use his associates and ask around if someone had any previous experience or at least any knowledge of rem-tech that could de-age someone. And, the most important thing, how to reverse it. He deliberately formed the queries to be vague enough not to raise any alarms. Only Keema got a report that delved a little deeper into the issue. The channel was secure, he had made sure of that, but still, just in case, no names were given. She was clever enough to figure it out on her own anyway.

A disappointed moan made Reyes look up from the omni-tool. The pyjak, having enough of this desperate battle for his bodily integrity, climbed the wall and delved swiftly deep into the ventilation shaft, leaving Scotty alone on the floor. The boy turned to Reyes with a pout, his finger pointing in an accusatory fashion at the treacherous hole in the wall.

“Dumb,” Scotty said with conviction, offended.

Reyes had no other choice but to chuckle.

“Yeah, what a dumb pyjak, right? How dare it run away when you want to squish it?”

“Dumb,” Scotty repeated and nodded in agreement.

Yes, it was still Scott, all right. What more proof did he need?

“ _Reyes._ ”

Reyes tensed, surprised. He didn’t expect to hear that voice again, at least not anytime soon.  

“SAM?” His gaze automatically shot to Scott’s desk. SAM’s docking station flickered on and off and a small blue orb appeared there, paler than usual but stabilizing after a few seconds. The sight once again pumped hope through Reyes’ veins. “You’re okay?”

“ _Yes. I managed to reestablish connection between my node and the Tempest. It was not easy but I can temporarily function parallel to and separate from Scott._ ”

Reyes stood up at once, wanting to come closer to the desk. SAM could hear him just fine from where he was but Reyes did it on instinct, logic abandoned for the moment in the face of a new rush of euphoria. If SAM was here, that was surely good news, right?

Scotty was quicker. With yet another banshee-like happy scream, the boy dashed across the room. He barely reached to the desk but no obstacle had ever stopped any Ryder from getting what they wanted. Scotty balanced on his tiptoes, strained his arms and gleefully patted the hologram, the closest thing to a hug he could manage. The fact that his fingers went through SAM’s projections was a constant source of wonder and frustration.

“ _Hello, Scott._ ” There was certain unmistakable warmth in the AI’s voice. Like greeting an old friend.

“SAM, SAM, SAM!” the boy sang and pursed his lips in what seemed to be an attempt at giving SAM a smooch. SAM didn’t comment, stoically withstanding this onslaught of affection.

Reyes reached Scott’s side and patted his head but his attention was on SAM.

“I don’t even know where to start,” Reyes admitted truthfully. “I have so many questions.”

“ _That is understandable. What happened to Scott is not within the realms of an everyday experience. Dr. T’Perro, with whom I just established contact as well, is having a similar reaction. I will, however, try to reply to your queries to the best of my abilities._ ”

“Can you help the doctor fix Scott?”

“ _I will try. However, I believe that the word ‘fix’ is not the best choice in this context. There is nothing wrong with Scott per se. If Dr. T’Perro’s data are correct, and there is no reason to doubt it, Scott seems to be in an excellent health. For a human male aged two, that is._ ”

Barely suppressing a groan, Reyes glanced at the hyperactive boy, now boldly climbing on the chair and huffing in exertion. Reyes gave him a helpful push. Scotty sat down on his knees and spun the chair around. The galaxy’s tiniest merry-go-round but bringing as much joy as the real thing.

“You know what I meant, smartass.” SAM didn’t reply. If the AI was sulking it picked the worst moment. Still, when Reyes spoke again, his voice wasn’t so confrontational anymore. “So… do you know what happened? Exactly?”

“ _No, I do not. As soon as Scott stepped into that trap an impulse of sorts severed the connection between us. I was working all this time to reestablish it. At last, I succeeded. I am collecting information to have a better understanding of the situation as we speak._ ”

Scotty got bored of the spinning and grabbed a datapad from the desk, promptly trying to take a bite of it. Reyes gently but decisively prevented him from that.

“Any hypothesis? Or a solution? Can we bring him back to normal?”

“ _I do not know. It appears that his memories and personality remain intact, which is good. However, his cognitive functions and emotional processing are within norm for the age he currently is._ ”

Reyes thought about it, making sense of SAM’s words.

“In simpler terms, he remembers everything and is still the same person as he was, just twenty years younger and acting accordingly, right?”

“ _Basically, yes. And because of it I will not try to connect to the Pathfinder’s implant unless absolutely necessary. That could be too much of a strain for Scott’s developing brain, possibly causing severe damage.”_

Reyes sighed. Possible brain damage. Just what they needed.

“SAM, you—”

A sudden tug on his arm made Reyes look down. Scotty had abandoned the chair and now stood in front of him, locking Reyes’ finger in his tiny fist.

“Leyes,” he said and, seeing that he had his attention, patted his own stomach. “Tum tum.”

Now that didn’t require a lot of mental gymnastics. Especially since this was Scott, who ate dinner for four as a snack between meals.

“You’re hungry?”

Little Scott nodded fiercely.

“Okay.” Reyes glanced at SAM. “SAM, I’m going to the kitchen to feed the Pathfinder. Let me know if you find something.”

“ _Certainly._ ”

“Leyes!” Scotty seemed to have even less patience than his adult version. Especially when food was concerned.

“I’m going, I’m going. I won’t ever dare to stand between you and food. I’m not suicidal.”

Little Scott yanked his hand again, so Reyes started moving. He thought about picking Scott up, but the boy marched on with resolve in front of him, still holding his finger as if unsure if Reyes would actually stay or change his mind and disappear.

Disappear…

Yes, Reyes didn’t mind holding onto what remained of the love of his life. Holding on to hope.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took so long. Merry Christmas!
> 
> Comments and kudos are much appreciated <3

Scotty was too small to be registered by the motion sensor at the door. He banged at the metal with frustration.

“Dumb dool,” he commented astutely, his face scrunching up into a pout of epic proportions.

Amused, Reyes opened the door for him and let himself be dragged a few steps through the corridor to the kitchen. He found it quite telling that the kitchen was right next to the Pathfinder’s Quarters. Whoever designed this ship knew the needs and priorities of their target clientele.

Reyes expected to bump into someone but the crew seemed to have scattered all across the Tempest. The doctor was working hard in the med bay, the angrara probably occupied the conference room to get in touch with the resistance and the others… most likely tried to help as well, one way or another. No matter what Reyes thought privately about some of the members of Scott’s team, he couldn’t deny that they were a loyal bunch. Scott couldn’t have gotten better friends to help him through thick and thin.

The kitchen was empty too. Either someone had cleaned up recently or no one was in a mood to cook today. Only the coffee machine looked used, the delicate whiff of a fresh brew still lingering in the air.

Reyes knew how to make a decent meal, he had wined and dined Scott far too many times to count. This time though he wouldn’t be granted the opportunity to fix even the simplest dish. Scott’s little impatient dance and his incessant “Leyes, ahm-ahm!” were telling enough that every second of delay wouldn’t be met with understanding.

“Okay then. Any requests?” Reyes asked, looking down at the fidgeting boy.

Scott let go of him and ran to the table. Jumping up and down, he pointed at the bowl of fruit out of his reach. Yes, fruit was a good idea. Healthy. Full of vitamins. Good for a growing kid.

Reyes shook his head. What the hell was he even thinking? This iteration of Scott was only temporary, there would be no ‘growing kid’ phase. Scott would be back to normal soon. He had to believe in that or he’d go crazy.

“Leyes, ahm-ahm!”

“Sure, you glutton.” Reyes picked the boy up, holding him tighter against his chest to stop the wriggling. Honestly, toddler Scott couldn’t keep still for a nanosecond. “Which one do you want?” He indicated the fruit on display. “The red one? The orange one? Or that blue one?”

He expected a verbal confirmation or at least pointing of a finger. But nothing was ever easy with Scott.

A purplish blue aura enveloped the whole of Scott’s tiny body. He lifted his arm with an almost comical look of concentration on his young face. The orange fruit floated straight to his hand, propelled by the biotic power.

“Huh.” Realistically, Reyes should have expected something like this. Using space magic was like breathing to Scott, why should it be any different now that he was a kid? In fact, he probably would use it even more often now, not possessing anymore the height and reach that went with being six foot tall.

What didn’t change in the least was Scott being an absolutely impatient dumbass.

“No,” Reyes said, taking the fruit from Scott’s grasp just moments away from the kid biting into it. “We need to wash it and peel it first. You could get sick otherwise.”

Scotty furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Reyes with outrage. Not the worst mood of Scott’s he had to deal with. At this point Reyes considered himself a true Scott whisperer.

“Trust me. I want what’s best for you,” he said and kissed the top of Scott’s head. The boy grumbled something defiantly but the frown disappeared. Reyes had bought himself some time. He was lucky that what worked on adult Scott, worked just as well on the kid version.

Reyes realized that he was growing quite fond of the brat. Fond, but not fond enough to forget _his_ Scott. He wanted him back.

If that was even possible.

No, of course it was. Reyes didn’t even want to entertain the other alternative.

Reyes put the kid on the floor and turned to the sink, letting the water flow. That damn fruit would be shinier than gold once he’d be done with it. Scotty bounced on the balls of his feet, got briefly distracted by a blinking light on the ceiling, scratched his ear, sang something out of tune totally garbling the words. Just like a kid. And just like bored Scott, just cranked up to eleven. Or twenty-four. Months old.

What was this Scott even thinking about Reyes? Who was Reyes to him? Now that was a question. A very difficult one.

Having made sure that the fruit was borderline sterile, Reyes took a plate and a knife, and went to work on removing the peel. The fruit of kadaran origin resembled a mix of a sweet apricot hidden beneath orange skin, just harder and more bitter. Keema liked it, being the one to introduce it to Reyes. It could be turned into a fantastic liqueur, which he had shared with Scott a few months back, celebrating their anniversary. For this Scott, the fruit was the only option. No alcohol allowed until he grew some chest hair.

“Leyeeeeees!” Scotty moaned, his fists full of Reyes’ shirt and yanking at it with gusto, pushing and pulling at it in a balancing act.

“Scott, I know that waiting more than five seconds for anything is too much for you but please try,” he said with amused exasperation, casting him a smile. Scotty beamed at him in return.

Yes, both versions of Scott had the same, winsome smile. A little lady– and gentlemankiller.

Reyes sliced the fruit into small chunks to make it easier for the kid to eat and removed the core. He washed his hands from the thick juice and put the plate on the table. Scotty rushed to the chair at once, trying to climb it. Without much success but with a lot of determination.

“It’ll be easier if you just sit on my lap.” The kid, of course, didn’t listen, stubbornly continuing his futile ascend. Another very Scott thing to do. Reyes sighed and picked the squirming kid up. He took a place on the chair, putting Scotty down in his lap as originally intended, and pulled the plate closer to them. Scott’s grabby hands didn’t even wait that long, just snatching a piece of fruit and putting it greedily into his mouth. The sound of happy munching filled the air.

“Enjoy your snack.”

Scotty tilted his head and smiled, his mouth full of fruit. The juice trickled down his chin and fingers, staining the pink shirt.

Reyes tried not to laugh, he really tried. It was stronger than him.

“Good to know that you’ve always been a messy eater.”

Scotty made a gurgling sound that could have been a giggle and shoved another piece of fruit into his mouth.

Reyes let him eat, nuzzling absentmindedly against the boy’s unwashed hair. It was his Scott and at the same time it wasn’t him. Schrödinger’s Scott. He wasn’t sure how to feel about this, about all of this. It was too surreal, too absurd to fully process.

Reyes hated the part of his mind that was already thinking how to use this de-aging technology to make credits. After all, there were people who’d pay a fortune to be young again, why not take advantage of that?  

“Leyes?” The boy wanted his attention again. Reyes was glad for a distraction from his own pragmatism.

“Yes, Scott?”

“Leyes, ahm!” Scotty squeezed a chunk of fruit in his hand, the juice dripping everywhere. He brought it closer to Reyes’ face. “Ahm-ahm!”

“Ah, no, thanks.” Reyes recoiled. “It’s all for you.”

“Ahm-ahm!” Scott repeated, more forcefully this time, poking the corner of Reyes’ mouth with the maltreated fruit. “Leyes, ahm!”

Reyes rolled his eyes. Scott used to nag him so many times that he needed to eat healthier. It seemed that even in the form of a tiny squirt he wouldn’t cut him any slack.

“Fine. I’ll eat,” he conceded for the sake of peace and quiet. Little Scott grinned at him and slipped the fruit into Reyes’ obediently opened mouth. Having fulfilled his duty, Scotty went back to eating.  

As much as Reyes didn’t want to admit it, the gesture kind of melted his heart. He blamed it on how emotionally taxing the day was.

“You’re a good person, Scott,” he said, more to himself than to the boy, not expecting him to listen. “I don’t deserve you.”

But Scotty did listen. He turned around, gave him that ‘don’t be silly’ look and offered him another piece of fruit. This time Reyes didn’t protest. The little one seemed satisfied with Reyes’ cooperation and dug back into his meal. Eating was probably Scott’s favorite pastime. Hard to pull a biotic away from their plate.  

Smiling to himself, Reyes rubbed the boy’s shoulder. Scott was so precious, adult or a kid alike.

The moment he thought that, Scott sneezed, sprinkling a unique blend of snot, saliva and half-chewed fruit all over the table. The boy wasn’t fazed by it. He just wiped his nose with his forearm and munched on.

“I’m not cleaning that up,” Reyes muttered, glad that he wasn’t the target of the sneeze. You could never tell with kids what next gross thing they were about to do. Well, at least Scott didn’t lose control of his powers sending everything flying. Easier to wipe the table than the ceiling. Not that he would volunteer to do either.

The sound of footsteps near the door made both of them look up in that direction. Reyes in hope that there had been some development, Scotty probably in apprehension of yet another needle stuck into him.

Cora entered the kitchen. Her surprised expression told Reyes that she didn’t expect to find them here. He squashed disappointment, not letting it show. Scotty relaxed with no new shots in sight.

“Oh, hi,” Cora said, giving Reyes a somewhat uncomfortable smile. In normal circumstances, Scott’s second in command was civil with him, despite probably not trusting him much. Even in abnormal ones she tried too. He nodded at her in acknowledgement.

“Cola!” Scotty beamed, showing his teeth, orange from the juice. Her smile became a few shades warmer.

“Hi there. Enjoying a snack?”

Scotty giggled and grabbed the penultimate chunk of fruit, extending his hand to Cora.

“Cola, ahm!”

“Ah, no, thanks…”

“Cola!” Scotty’s voice turned authoritarian. A little general who suffered no opposition. “Ahm!”

“Just give up, you can’t outtalk him. Infancy brings out the worst in him.” Reyes smirked. He could see Cora’s short battle with herself and eventual defeat.

“Thanks, Scott.” She sat down opposite them, careful not to touch the contaminated table, and took the offered gift. Scott stared at her until she caved in and actually bit the fruit. Only then the boy seemed satisfied.

“He’s cute as a kid,” Cora said eventually, having swallowed the undesired treat. “Especially in that pink shirt. Gil took some pics. An excellent blackmail material.”

“He _is_ cute,” Reyes replied, ruffling the boy’s hair. “But I like him more when he’s bigger. Any news?”

She shook her head, growing sadder.

“No, not yet.” There was silence between them, both lost in thoughts. The only sounds in the room were the enthusiastic slurps coming from Scott.

Cora was first to speak again.

“How are you holding up?” She asked. Reyes blinked, caught off guard. She was one of the last people he’d suspect of showing any consideration towards him. Perhaps he had misjudged her and she wasn’t as against him as he had imagined. “To see your partner turned into a kid… I can’t even begin to imagine how it feels like.”

Reyes didn’t respond, not immediately at least. Him – _Shena_ , for fuck’s sake! — didn’t know what to say. But an honest concern deserved an honest answer. 

“I don’t think it really sank in yet,” he said, tickling Scott’s somewhat chubby cheek. Smooth, uncharacteristically free of stubble. “I’m expecting Scott, _my_ Scott, to just waltz in here any second.”

Cora nodded, not inquiring any further. Perhaps she understood. Scott was her boss but also her friend. They’d been through a lot together and naturally had grown close. It was difficult to see him like this.

The atmosphere in the kitchen turned really gloomy. At least until Scott burped like a krogan, the strength of escaping air making him bounce on Reyes’ lap.

“Men,” Cora rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop a smile.

“You’re giving us all a bad rep, Scott.” Reyes patted his head. The boy giggled, swinging his legs, not a care in the world.

“ _Director Tann is on the line._ ” SAM’s usually monotone voice rang through the ship, bearing traces of worry. “ _He requests to speak with the Pathfinder._ ”  

Both Reyes and Cora looked at the boy who was eagerly licking his forearm from the juice.

“The Pathfinder is currently… indisposed,” said Reyes.

“We need to take the call.” Cora chewed on her lower lip, displeased but determined. “We don’t want Tann to get suspicious. We can’t let him discover Scott’s… condition. I’ll handle him.” She stood up.

“What will you tell him?”

“I’ll think of something.”

That didn’t sound too encouraging. Reyes felt it was time for him to step in.

“Tell him that Scott’s in a middle of acquiring sensitive information about the Exiles and he had to go dark for a while. Tann hates us so much that he’d agree to everything that has even a sliver of chance of giving him an upper hand.”

Cora nodded, impressed.

“They don’t call you The Charlatan for nothing.”

Reyes smirked, taking that as a compliment. But the moment of triumph was short-lived. He felt Scott tugging at his hand again.

“Leyes…”

“What?”

“Pee pee.”

Reyes blinked.

“You want to pee?”

“Uh-huh.” The boy nodded. Quite urgently.

“All right… That’s my cue to leave,” Cora said, beating a hasty retreat.

Reyes sighed. He was on his own. And facing the less fun part of taking care of a child.

“Okay. Let’s go. Before you actually stop needing a toilet.”         

Taking kid Scott to the bathroom was possibly the weirdest part of this whole experience. The boy needed help to sit on the toilet and not pee all over himself and the floor. Once Reyes washed the boy’s hands and let him loose again, he exhaled with relief. That wasn’t how he imagined his reunion with Scott.

“Never a boring day on Kadara,” he muttered, glancing at the boy, who looked a lot livelier with his bladder empty.

“Leyes!” Scott took Reyes’ hand again, bright and bubbly.

“What? Where do you want to go now?”

The boy didn’t reply, just giggled, his eyes crinkling in that very Scott’s way promising mischief. Reyes smiled, shaking his head.

“Fine. Lead on. Who am I to oppose you.”

He didn’t have to encourage Scott any further. The boy marched out of the bathroom with Reyes in tow… only to stop dead in his track, shriek in fear, and run to hide behind Reyes, peeking hesitantly from behind his leg.

Lexi stood on the corridor, right by the med bay. With her hand resting against the wall as if to support her weight, she looked exhausted beyond belief. She somehow managed a pale smile despite that.

“Funny, the adult version reacts the same way when he sees me.”

Reyes cut to the chase.

“Any development?”

“No.” She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “We’re doing our best but we’re completely in the dark, just stumbling around blindly. SAM helps but…” The way the usually stoic doctor threw her arms in frustration told him everything.

Not that Reyes expected a breakthrough in a matter of hours but it was still somewhat disappointing. She probably could read it in his eyes because her expression softened.

“It’s just a beginning, we are bound to make headway soon. That’s actually the reason why I’m here. I need to take another blood sample from Scott.”

“No!” The boy shrieked, hiding more decisively behind Reyes’ leg and trying to pull him away, as far away from the blue doctor as possible.

Reyes didn’t budge. He looked Dr. T’Perro in the eye in silent understanding. Neither of them enjoyed this, but it had to be done. That blood was needed to fix Scott. No other way around it.

Reyes sighed inwardly. Time to be the bad guy.

“Scott.” He turned around and knelt on one knee in front of the boy. He took his tiny hands into his, trying to exude calm and reassurance. “I know you don’t like it but it’s something we need to do, okay?”

“Oww! Oww!” Scott protested, the grimace of fear distorting his features.

Fuck. Reyes’ heart was breaking. But his expression of ultimate peace didn’t change.

“Yes, it hurts a bit. I wish we didn’t have to do it, but we have no other choice. You are… sick, Scott. We want to make you better again.”

The boy said nothing, just stared, his big blue eyes watering, his downtilted mouth wobbling dangerously.

“I will be there will you all the time. I promise. And it will only hurt for a moment. Do you trust me, Scott?”

Reyes held his breath. Then, after a moment, the boy nodded hesitantly. A huge weight was lifted from Reyes’ heart. He tried to smile in a reassuring way and reached to wipe the tears that flew down the boy’s cheek.

“Let’s go. It will be over in a minute.”   

Scott didn’t move but didn’t protest either when Reyes lifted him up and carried him into the med bay. He just clutched to him tightly as if Reyes was his lifeline. What a terrible and yet amazing responsibility.

Dr. T’Perro didn’t waste any time. A child’s compliance was a fickle thing, so she urged Reyes to sit down on the bed. He did, the terrified boy in his lap.

“It’s gonna be okay,” he said with as much conviction as he could only muster. At least he didn’t need to roll up Scott’s sleeve. The arm was already on display.

“Please, keep him steady,” Lexi ordered and Reyes obeyed. His grip on the boy was firm but without actually slipping into violent territory.

The doctor had a syringe in her hand which looked like a sleek, old fashioned pen just with a retractable needle. A needle nonetheless.

Scott tensed and whimpered.

“Don’t look, Scotty.” Gently, Reyes turned the boy’s head away from the doctor and the device she held. The boy sniffed and sobbed quietly. Reyes offered all the compassion and support he only could. “It’s gonna be okay. I promise.”

The doctor didn’t delay. The needle pierced the boy’s arm. Scott cried out in pain and tried to yank himself free but Reyes held him tight until the asari got what she wanted. She smeared some medi-gel on the boy’s arm to staunch the blood flow.

“All done,” she said, holding a half-full vial in her hand.

Reyes’ grip on Scott loosened. As soon as it did, the boy wiggled his way out of Reyes’ hold. He stood in front of him, his face stained with tears and snot, and stared at Reyes as if the man had betrayed him.

Reyes remembered that look. It bore memories of what had happened in the cave so long ago, on the day Sloane Kelly had met her untimely end. He never wanted Scott to look at him in that way again. And even though this Scott was just a kid, it still stung. Made him feel like the scumbag he truly was.  

“I am sorry, Scott,” he said, once again kneeling to look him in the eye. “I know it hurt. And if could have spared you that I would. But we just want to make you feel better again. We needed your blood to work on a cure for you. Because we all care for you so much. And you are such a brave boy, Scott. I’m proud of you.”

Scott stopped crying, just stared at him. It must be working. Reyes pushed on.

“Yes, I mean, needles are scary. I would be running away to another planet if I had to have my blood taken. But you were so brave! Wow. I’ve never seen anyone braver than you. You are amazing, Scott.”

Scotty sniffed and wiped his eyes with his sticky hands.

“Leyes…” Step after step, Scott approached him, spreading his arms, trust rebuilt. Reyes gathered the boy into his embrace and hugged him tightly. His emotions were all over the place, conflicted and confused. But one thing was certain. He cared about Scott, no matter in what form he was. 

“You’re good with children,” Dr. T’Perro said as he picked Scott up. There was an unmistakable tone of surprise in her voice. Reyes couldn’t blame her, he was just as bewildered at how naturally this came to him. “Maybe you’re a father material, after all. Who knows?”

“I’m not so sure about that,” he huffed a chuckle to mask how unsettled he felt. “But if anything, I’d rather have kids with Scott than having him as a kid.”

The asari nodded, thoughtful. There was nothing more to add on the topic.

“It’s getting late,” she said. “A child shouldn’t stay up long, especially not after such an… intense day. You should put him to bed.” She stopped, realizing something. “Although probably give him a bath first. Baths are proven to have calming properties. And besides… well, he probably needs it anyway.”

“A bath?” Reyes echoed. The logistics of such an endeavor were already starting to give him a headache.

“Yes. Hm… I think there’s a big bowl in the highest cupboard in the kitchen. Should be the right size.”

“I should bathe Scott in a bowl, am I getting that correct?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Probably less hassle than trying to do that in a shower.” She shrugged. “You can do this. I would have done it myself but it’ll be better for everyone if I focused on the research.”

She wasn’t wrong. Well, at the end of the day he could truly add ‘babysitting’ to his resume.

“Come on, Scott. You heard the doctor. Let’s get you all cleaned up nicely.”

The boy only sniffed in reply.

Reyes left the med bay and walked back to the kitchen to find the bowl. As the doctor had said, it was in a cupboard. Should be big and deep enough for the little boy to sit inside comfortably.

Another of these little surreal moments Reyes had no idea how to deal with. He really wanted to put Scott into a bowl. He’d laugh if it weren’t actually so disturbing.

Far less certain than he pretended to be, he moved to the bathroom, accompanied by Scott’s quiet babbling. Those weren’t even real words, just random syllables and laughter, slurred a little from tiredness but still going strong in cheerful department. The blood taking incident was all but forgotten now. Little Scott seemed so carefree, so happy. Free of all the burdens of being the Pathfinder.

Reyes hadn’t thought from that angle before. How this whole situation truly affected Scott as a person? Was he actually happy being a child? If he could choose, would he rather remain like this than get back to his adult self? Back to all the violence, responsibility, thankless drudgery of keeping the galaxy afloat?

Yes, probably yes. Scott was just like that. He wouldn’t abandon his duties, never, no matter how hard it was and how dispirited he sometimes felt. Wouldn’t abandon the people who counted on him. His friends. His lover.

Reyes swallowed hard. Scott would never give up and they shouldn’t either.

The worst part of all of this? The feeling of helplessness. Everything was out of his hands. All he could do was to wait. He was a patient man, true, but not when it came to Scott’s well-being. The only way to combat that gut-wrenching feeling was to keep busy.

“So, ready for the bath?” he asked Scotty as they entered the bathroom. The boy smiled, which was a positive reaction, at least. The adult Scott liked long showers, so the little version shouldn’t have problems with hygiene either. Reyes put him down on the floor and stroked his back. He wondered briefly if Scott wasn’t cold, barefoot and just in a T-shirt, but it didn’t seem like it. Perhaps SAM had adjusted the temperature on the ship. Or maybe little Scott just simply didn’t mind and subsequently didn’t bitch about the cold as much as his older version.

Keeping an eye on the boy, Reyes poured the water into the bowl. Not too hot to scald him but close. Just like Scott preferred. According to Scott, a good shower consisted of at least ten minutes of standing under the stream of water and soaking the warmth. On more than one occasion he had bemoaned the lack of sauna on the Tempest. Once Scott was back to normal, Reyes had to take him to the hot springs on Kadara as a treat. Without the sulfur, the planet had a huge touristic potential worth closer inspection. Well, when the situation stabilized, of course. And with the Pathfinder’s help, perhaps. Once he grew up to the task.

Reyes added a bit of showering gel to the mini bath. Not as good as bubble bath, but had to do. Smelled of strawberries. Scott liked that scent. The kid should be happy. Reyes put the bowl in the shower, not wanting to flood the whole bathroom.

“Okay, time to clean you up.” Reyes pulled the pink T-shirt over Scott’s head and hang it on the rack. It was so weird. He’d seen Scott naked more times than he cared to remembered. The circumstances were so different though that he truly felt uncomfortable. It was just a bath for God’s sake! No need to make it more awkward than it should be.

Reyes took Scott’s hand and helped him get into the bowl. The boy plopped down immediately, grinning. And started splashing everywhere, getting Reyes wet from head to toe.

“Why am I not surprised?” he sighed.  

Scott only laughed louder. And flung more water right into Reyes’ face.

“I am a very patient man, Scott, but you’re on thin ice…” he said, wiping the moisture from his eyes.

The boy giggled but stopped being too obnoxious as he focused on the measly bubbles. He scooped some and patted them onto his cheeks and chin, making a beard of sorts. The sight made Reyes’ heart experience a painful pang.

“Yeah, I like when you have a stubble too.”

Reyes washed Scott’s hair and body without any major incidents, discounting getting even wetter. By the end of the bath, the boy deflated somewhat. He yawned a few times and became uncharacteristically listless. The doctor was right — it was getting late for a child. And after everything that had happened Scott must be really tired. Who knew what effects on his body the change even had? Aside from the obvious, of course.

Reyes rinsed the little boy and dried him up with a clean towel taken from the rack. For the lack of clean clothes, he put the pink T-shirt back on him. If Scott’s… state persisted longer, they would need to get him some proper outfit. But from where? It wasn’t like the Andromeda Initiative was overflowing with children’s apparel. Maybe something angaran?

No, they would reverse this change soon. He had to have hope.

He picked Scott up and carried him to the Pathfinder’s Quarters, cradling him against his chest. Scotty rubbed his eyes and yawned again. He almost dozed off in Reyes’ arms. By the time Reyes carried him to bed and tucked him in, Scotty was nearly asleep. Surprisingly, Scott managed to open his eyes and give Reyes a drowsy pleading gaze.

“Leyes? Stay?”

Scott seemed so tiny against the large Pathfinder bed, so fragile and vulnerable. Of course Reyes couldn’t refuse him, he wasn’t a monster.

“Sure. I’ll stay,” he said, lying down on the blanket right next to the boy. Scott smiled and made an effort to lean closer. He said just one more thing before slipping into the land of dreams.

“Love Leyes.”

Reyes just stared at him for a long while, anguish and affection tugging at the strings of his heart in equal measures. He considered himself to be a reasonable man, one that could always put his feelings aside and do what had to be done, no matter the consequences. In this moment, he was stripped of all of that resolve. If someone gave him a choice between Kadara and Scott, he wouldn’t hesitate even for a second.

“I love you too,” he whispered, his voice heavy with emotions. “We’ll fix you. I promise. I won’t give up until you’re back with me.”

Shifting so that he wouldn’t wake up the boy, Reyes checked his omni-tool. A message from Keema. He opened it at once, high on hope and adrenaline. The actual contents of the email disappointed him. She only reported that she had made inquiries but so far without any results. She’d never heard about anyone falling prey to this kind of curse.

Reyes sighed and turned the omni-tool off in frustration. What should he do now? Go to the remnant ruins himself and poke around, hoping for enlightenment? No, ridiculous, of course. He was itching for action but he wasn’t stupid. There were people far more versed in the topic, explorers and scientists. For now, all he could do was wait. And that pissed him off.

Pondering what else he could possibly do, Reyes eventually fell asleep right at little Scott’s side.


	4. Chapter 4

Reyes didn’t know how long he slept. Impossible to tell the passage of time on a space ship. Especially, when you have no idea when you even had fallen asleep in the first place.

“ _Reyes. Reyes._ ”

At any rate, a very annoying voice made any further rest impossible.  

“ _Reyes. Please wake up._ ”

“SAM? What…?” He groaned, more lucid with every passing second. “What’s going on? Was there any development?”

“ _Yes. Please look at Scott._ ”

Not knowing what to expect, Reyes turned his head tentatively. His eyes widened, his heart skipped a beat, the wind knocked out of his chest.

Scott was… himself. His usual self. A twenty-three years old man with nicely tones muscles, albeit more on a bony side, currently squeezed into a pink, miniscule T-shirt. He was still deep in the land of dreams, his features relaxed and soft, without a care in the world.

“SAM?” asked Reyes, questioning his sanity and the output of his senses. He froze completely, a perfect stupor, not daring to even move a muscle in case it somehow shattered or jinxed the moment. “Is he…?”

“ _As far as I can tell, the effects of the remnant device have been fully reversed. I managed to reestablish my connection with Scott and after running a full bio scan I can state with a high degree of probability that he is indeed back to what you would have described as ‘normal_ ’ _. I recommend—_ ”

But Reyes wasn’t listening anymore. As if a switch had been flipped in his mind, he came alive, a surge of relief and elation flooding his system.

“Scott!” Reyes cried out, grabbed his lover’s shoulders and shook him so hard that Scott finally opened his bleary eyes.

“Uh… Wh…?”

“You’re back!”

“Back? What?” Scott rubbed his face, his consciousness returning at a glacial pace. “Back where?”

“You’re yourself!”

Scott blinked at him.

“And whom I was supposed to be?” The crease on his forehead only deepened as more and more details about his current situation seemed to register with his sleep-addled brain. “Wait, what are you doing here, Reyes? And what am _I_ doing here? And why the hell am I wearing a pink T-shirt?” He asked, noticing how the tight outfit had ripped at the seams, tearing further with every movement he made. “Is it Suvi’s? What? What the hell? Did I black out during a party or something?”

Reyes didn’t provide answers to any of the questions. He couldn’t control himself anymore. With uncharacteristic zeal, he wrapped his arms around Scott and yanked him close, crushing their lips together, enjoying the warmth, touch and reassuring presence of his reclaimed lover. He kissed him with abandon and at first Scott reciprocated, taken by surprise, but gradually opted to pull away.

“Hey, what’s this about?” Scott said, going for a light tone, but unable to hide concern. “Not that I’m complaining, but you’re acting kinda weird. Actually, scratch that, everything is weird. What the hell is going on?”

“What’s the last thing you remember, Scott?” Reyes didn’t let him out of his embrace. He wanted to keep him close, to hold him, to make sure that Scott was really here, that he was truly back.

Scott scratched his head, his eyes looking to the side as he sifted through his memory.

“I… I was in the remnant ruins, I think? But then there was this strange buzzing… And a flash of light. And then… I woke up here? Did I get hurt or something? Banged my head hard?” he asked, searching for any obvious injuries on his body. “Don’t tell me that I actually fell into a coma. Which year are we in? Which millennium?”

“The same, don’t worry.” Reyes huffed laughter against Scott’s skin. “And no, it wasn’t a coma. But you won’t believe me if I tell you what happened.”

Scott gave him a look full of concerned uncertainty.

“Try me.”

So Reyes recounted the whole tale to the best of his abilities. Scott stayed dead silent till the end, too shocked and disbelieving to interrupt.

“I was turned into a toddler? Seriously? Are you trying to prank me or something?”

“Told you you won’t believe me.”

“Huh.” Scott said nothing for a long moment, taking it all in. Reyes gave him all the time he needed. It was a lot to process. “If that’s true then I probably should show myself to the crew, let them know that I’m fine.”

“Probably a good idea, yes.” Reluctantly, Reyes pulled away. As tempting as it was, he couldn’t hoard Scott to himself selfishly. Other people were worried about him as well. “And you should pay a visit to the doctor too. Just to be sure.” SAM had already made some scans but one assessment of Scott’s state wasn’t enough to Reyes.

“No, thanks. Lexi would probably want to vivisect me. I’m really fine.” Scott jumped out of bed, fit and spry as always. He stretched his arms, putting even more strain on the abused T-shirt. “And I should apologize to Suvi for ruining her clothes.”

Reyes let his gaze sweep slowly up and down Scott’s body as the man walked towards the door, relishing the familiar shapes he so deeply missed. He feared he'd never see this sight again. Kid Scott was adorable but nothing and no one could replace Scott exactly as he was. For better or for worse.

“Ah, Scott, wait,” Reyes said, a smug smile tugging at his lips. “You probably should do one more thing before you go…”

Scott turned around to face him in all his amazing and half naked glory.

“What?”

“Put on some pants.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that the updates took so long. Thank you so much for reading and commenting, that always means a lot to me <3


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